Describe your school's strengths and needs based on a school improvement document, such as the school's SALT visit report, its SALT survey data, or its school improvement plan.
The SALT survey for westerly middle school showed its commendations for among other things the design and available technology. The survey did however go on to point out the deficiency of underutilizing the technology that it had praised. There is no argument that the schools design is perfect for a middle school. The Pods create an atmosphere indicative of bond building and trust for both team teachers and students. Westerly middle school also has the most impressive technology available in any school I have seen in Rhode Island. While the SALT survey recognized the presence of the technology, they suggested the utilization of it was lacking. Westerly Middle schools improvement plan emphasizes the importance of an increase of collaboration between teachers. The increase of collaboration includes everything from team meeting time to district meetings.
In my first day in the school, I was able to see the clear advantages of the design of the building. In my visits to the school not only have my initial thoughts about the advantages of the schools design been reaffirmed I find new reasons to be impressed everyday. While the technology may have been underutilized in 2007 when the survey was done, there is no shortage of its use presently. In the two weeks, I have been student teaching I have already used two different projectors, a desktop, a laptop, a digital camera, a laptop cart for the students, and a document camera. While the Pods separate me from the other classrooms, I know that my team utilizes the schools arsenal of technology daily. The schools plan to improve collaboration among teachers is also well in effect. I have observed many different types of meeting the school has implemented to achieve its goals. There is a team meeting everyday, a grade level meeting once a week, a leadership meeting every other Thursday morning, and IEP meeting whenever necessary. Meeting such as IEP and parent teacher conferences are usually done during the teachers personal planning period to avoid canceling a team meeting.
Describe your school's strengths and needs based on a school improvement document, such as the school's SALT visit report, its SALT survey data, or its school improvement plan.
The SALT survey for westerly middle school showed its commendations for among other things the design and available technology. The survey did however go on to point out the deficiency of underutilizing the technology that it had praised. There is no argument that the schools design is perfect for a middle school. The Pods create an atmosphere indicative of bond building and trust for both team teachers and students. Westerly middle school also has the most impressive technology available in any school I have seen in Rhode Island. While the SALT survey recognized the presence of the technology, they suggested the utilization of it was lacking. Westerly Middle schools improvement plan emphasizes the importance of an increase of collaboration between teachers. The increase of collaboration includes everything from team meeting time to district meetings.
In my first day in the school, I was able to see the clear advantages of the design of the building. In my visits to the school not only have my initial thoughts about the advantages of the schools design been reaffirmed I find new reasons to be impressed everyday. While the technology may have been underutilized in 2007 when the survey was done, there is no shortage of its use presently. In the two weeks, I have been student teaching I have already used two different projectors, a desktop, a laptop, a digital camera, a laptop cart for the students, and a document camera. While the Pods separate me from the other classrooms, I know that my team utilizes the schools arsenal of technology daily. The schools plan to improve collaboration among teachers is also well in effect. I have observed many different types of meeting the school has implemented to achieve its goals. There is a team meeting everyday, a grade level meeting once a week, a leadership meeting every other Thursday morning, and IEP meeting whenever necessary. Meeting such as IEP and parent teacher conferences are usually done during the teachers personal planning period to avoid canceling a team meeting.